Mitsubishi Motors Badminton Horse Trials

Kristina Cook

Biography

British rider Kristina (Tina) Cook (48) last competed at Badminton in 2017. Tina, who is based in West Sussex, is a long-standing member of British teams. Last year with Badminton entry Billy Red she represented GB as an individual at the WEG in Tryon (9th) and in 2017 the pair was a member of the British team to win gold at the European Championships in Strzegom (her eighth European appearance) where she was fourth individually. The pair was the travelling reserve for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. In 2018 With Star Witness she placed 11th at Burghley.

Tina first represented GB in 1987 winning team gold at the Junior European Championships (Song & Dance Man). She was a regular and successful member of British Young Rider teams and in 1991 was National Champion. The following year she competed at her first Badminton (10th, Song & Dance Man) and made her first senior team appearance in the 1993 European Championships when she won individual silver (Song & Dance Man). She was a member of British gold medal teams at the World Equestrian Games (1994) and European Championships (’95 & ’99) and in 1997 won individual European bronze with General Jock. With her Olympic ride Miners Frolic she won the European Championships in 2009 and Olympic team and individual bronze in 2008. In 2010 they won team gold at the WEG in Lexington where they were 29th individually. With De Novo News she was a member of the British silver medal team at the 2014 WEG and with Miners Frolic a member of the British Olympic team that won silver in London 2012 where she was sixth in the individual competition – the pair was 13th at the European Championships in 2013. (In October 2015 she sadly lost De Novo News after he contracted shipping fever on the way back from Strzegom.)

Tina’s father the late Josh Gifford was four-times Champion Jockey and a successful trainer – he trained Aldaniti to win the Grand National in 1998. Her mother Althea Roger-Smith was a successful international show jumper who represented GB and was a winner of the Queen Elizabeth Cup. Tina is assistant to her racehorse trainer brother Nick at the yard in Findon, Sussex. She has two children from her former marriage; Isabelle (14) a keen Pony Club member who has started eventing & Harry (12) a keen rugby football and cricket player. Tina trains with Ian Woodhead.

Billy the Red owned by Elisabeth Murdoch and Keith Tyson, is a 12-year-old German-bred gelding. He is by Balou du Rouet (a son of the leading sire Baloubet du Rouet and sire of Badminton entries Reve du Rouet and Barrichello). He is out of Simply Red by the thoroughbred Stan the Man (sire of Michael Jungs 2016 Badminton winner La Biosethique Sam and British Olympic medallists Shear L’Eau and Shear H2O). He was acquired as a six-year-old novice from Canadian rider Kathryn Robinson. In 2016 he was the travelling reserve for the British Olympic team, won team European gold in 2017 and competed at the WEG in Tryon (individual) where he finished 9th.

Calvino II is a 14-year-old British-bred gelding. Bred in Hampshire by Shirley Foley he is by the former showjumping sire Carousel (sire of former Burghley winner Carousel Quest) out of Collectors Rock by the former eventing stallion Rock King (sire of four-star horses Rock Model, Kings Gem). Kristina acquired the ride from his now co-owner Pip Wates, when he was upgrading from novice. He represented GB in Aachen last year (12th) and made his four-star debut at Pau (16th) and this year completed Badminton.

Star Witness is a 14-year-old Irish-bred thoroughbred gelding (Weatherbys NTR). He is by Witness Box out of Drive on Rosie by Glacial Storm. He was bought from Doncaster sales as an unbroken three-year-old ‘as a project and never left’. He has finished in the top 11 of all five of his five-star competitions.